Altar Stone mystery continues as Stonehenge theory overturned
Summary
A new geological study has ruled out the Orcadian Basin in northeast Scotland as the source of Stonehenge’s six-tonne Altar Stone. Researchers have not identified where the stone came from, but say the latest analysis narrows the search.Key Facts
- The Altar Stone is a 4.9-metre sandstone slab within Stonehenge’s stone circle.
- Earlier research had suggested the stone came from northeast Scotland, after an earlier theory linked it to Wales.
- Researchers found no location in the Orcadian Basin with characteristics matching the Altar Stone.
- The latest study examined the stone’s structure, minerals and chemical composition, including fragments held in museum collections.
- The research was published in the Journal of the Geological Society.
- Stonehenge was built in several phases between about 3000 and 1600 BC.
- Some of Stonehenge’s smaller bluestones came from west Wales, about 225 kilometres away.
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